If you are like me you love jam but tend to stay away from it because of the following reasons:

Homemade jam is delicious but boy does it take a lot of work to make

Store bought jam is good but it contains more sugar than you can handle and maybe some ingredients that you just don’t want to try and handle

So guess how happy I was when I stumbled upon this healthy homemade version of my favourite blueberry jam!? What makes me the happiest is that it is Jam-packed (pun intended) with lots of nutrients because it contains not only blueberries (we all know how healthy they are) but chia seeds too.Chia or Salvia hispanica is more than just hair for your clay pet, a 1-ounce or 2 Tablespoon serving contains 11 grams of fiber which allows the mighty chia to absorb 10 times it’s weight in water – the outcome of which puts the ‘jelly’ in this jam recipe.On top of that the same serving contains 5 grams of omega 3 fatty acids which are great for brain health , and various nutrients including Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese and B-vitamins.Knowing all that, would you rather have traditional jam made of berries and refined sugar, or chia seed jam made with berries and all the added nutrient benefits of chia?I’ll let you be the judge. WARNING: You may end up eating this stuff by the spoonful thus leaving your peanut butter without it’s trusty partner.

Ingredients:

3 Cups fresh or frozen blueberries

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (up to 4 tablespoons if desired)

2 Tablespoons chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a medium-sized sauce pot bring the blueberries and maple syrup to a light boil. Lower the heat to simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir often.

With a fork or potato masher, gently break down the blueberries leaving some for texture.

At this point your mixture will be on the watery side…have no fear, chia seeds are here! Add the chia and keep simmering while stirring until the mixture thickens to your desired consistency ~ 10 minutes.

When the jam reaches your desired thickness remove it from heat and add in the vanilla. You can add more maple syrup if it is not sweet enough for you.I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so I like my sweetness at 2 tablespoons or less but that’s just me!

Makes about 1 cup

There you have it…jam in 20 minutes or less with more nutritional benefits than the traditional variety. You can also make this jam with other fruits such a strawberries, mixed berries and mango!

I enjoy mine on top of my morning oats or combined with almond butter on top of pancakes.